Noisemaking projectile toy



Dec. 3l, 1968 l. HELLER 3,418,995

NoIsEMAKING PROJECTILE TOY Filed Feb. 11. 1965 ull] INVENTOR /54 4c /leL E BY {MIMVKM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,418,995 NOISEMAKINGPROJECTILE TOY Isaac Heller, 2080 Arrowood Drive, Scotch Plains, NJ.07076 Filed Feb. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 431,838 Claims. (Cl. 124-27) Thisinvention relates to a toy projectile capable of producing a whistlingnoise as it passes through the air. In particular, it relates to aprojectile having a simple self-contained unit, actuated upon firing,which produces a whistling sound similar to the sound produced by thepassage of actual high velocity projectiles as they fly through the air.

In the past, there have apparently been no simple devices producing anoise in a toy projectile itself during ight. Devices have beendisclosed in which a whistling noise is produced in the device firingthe projectile; these lack the elfect of realism because the noise doesnot come from the projectile. Other devices produce noise through vaneson the projectile which act against the air during flight; these shouldnot produce a loud or effective noise because of the low speed of thetoy projectile, and could slow down the projectile. And some deviceshave complex mechanical mechanisms to produce a noise; these areimpractical due to the high cost and lack of reliability. The problem ofcreating simple noise-emitting projectiles probably was not solvedbecause of the need for a rugged unit which would, at the same time,operate for the proper time duration and only after a short initialdelay.

I have found that these problems can all be Solved by use of an airactuated device located within the projectile. In its preferred form, awhistling bellows is compressed before the projectile is fired, Whilethe projectile is placed within the firing device. The bellows isreleased upon the firing so that the noise commences a moment after theprojectile leaves the ring device. It is actuated by internally carriedair, not by the passage of external air through vane structures; and thedevice has the advantage that the noisemaking unit actuated by thecompressed air controls the rate of release of the air, and so theduration of the noise.

My invention includes a cylindrically shaped projectile containing abellows and capable of actuating a noisemaking a Whistle through an airinlet in the bellows. Prior to launching, the bellows is compressed by abellows compressor associated with both the projectile and the launchingdevice. The compressor presses against the end of the muzzle of thelaunching device and in so doing, also compresses the bellows. When theprojectile is released from the gun, as upon firing, the bellowscompressor is likewise released from compressing the bellows, permittingthe bellows to expand slowly and create a whistling noise during flight.

Among the advantages of this invention is that a projectile is createdwhich creates its own noise lasting for a period of time, roughlycorresponding to the time needed for ight. The device is actuated by airand a selfcontained spring. The `duration of the whistling noise iscontrolled by the rate of intake of air into the bellows, and so can bepre-set during manufacture.

A further advantage is that the unit does not seek to utilize externalair flow, which, for slow moving projectiles, is weak, gives a weaksignal, and Would be affected by the stability of the unit as it passesthrough the air.

An additional and important advantage is that the unit may be simply andeconomically constructed of very few moving parts and has thereliability that is necessary for a toy which may be handled roughly bychildren, and, in particular, one which is to be projected through theair.

Turning to the drawings:

ice

FIG. 1 is an elevation showing the projectile unit mounted in a ring gunready for launching;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of FIG. l, showing the internalconstruction of the projectile prior to launching; the gun itself is notshown;

FIG. 3 is the same section, shown after launching and with the airactuating device expanded;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4*4 of FIG. 1, showing further detailsof the bellows construction; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 1 showing details of thebellows compression structure as it relates to the projecting device.

Turning to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a projectile 1 and the endportion of a firing unit or pistol 2. The firing unit includes muzzle 5,a spring-actuated ejector 6, and a releasing latch 7. The firing unititself is not part of my invention and is well understood in the art.Accordingly, further details of the entire structure need not bedisclosed.

Toy projectile 1 includes a two-piece shell or casing made up ofsections 10 and 11, which telescope together to form an integral unit,as best shown in FIG. 2. Casing 10 is of generally cylindricalconstruction and has a nose portion 12 and a plurality of vanes 14.Inside of shell 10 is a cylindrical bore 15, the axis of which isaligned with the axis of the muzzle 5 of pistol 2 before firing.

Co-axial with shell 10 is the second shell 11, telescoped to shell 10 atpoint 17. Positioned centrally in shell 11 is a tubular section 20having a bore 21 therein. Bore 21 is in alignment with the axis ofcylindrical bore 15. It is positioned between bore 15 and muzzle 5, whenthe unit is in firing position. Mounted within bore 21, and forming apart thereof, is a projecting arm 23. This projecting arm extendsaxially beyond shell 11 and is dimensioned to lit within muzzle 5 offiring device 2. At its outer extremity, projecting arm 23 has a latchor shoulder structure 25 adapted to engage with trigger or latch 7.

The projectile may be made of polyethylene or other desired plastics,and shell units 10 and 12 may be adhered together by use of adhesiveswhere they telescope together at point 17.

Mounted within bore 15 is a bellows or other air compression unit 30.This bellows may be of a spring actuated type, having an internalco-axial spring therein tending to expand the bellows. Alternatively,the bellows could be of a unitary type such as shown in Lemelson PatentNo. 2,988,848. The bellows has rigid, transverse end portions 31 and 32.Portion 31 is movable to compress or set bellows 31. Portion 32 hasshoulders 33 engaging with a locking flange 35 in order to secure endportion 32 against movement relative to shell 10 mounted in one of theend portions. Preferably at end portion 32 there is mounted anair-actuated noisemaking structure, such as reed unit 40, shown in FIG.4. Reed unit v constitutes the only means for the air to enter or leavebellows 30. Mounted on the end of base 32 and forwardly of the bellowsis a protective dome 42. This dome surrounds reed structure 40 andprotects it from damage when the projectile is used in play. The bellowsis shown in its compressed condition in FIG. 2 and in the expandedposition in FIG. 3.

Plunger arm 23 has a cross-sectional configuration resembling a crosswith four arms. These arms define two channels or grooves and 46, asshown in FIG. 5. Slidably mounted within grooves 45 and 46 is plunger orcompressor arm 50. Plunger is preferably made of a piece of stiff wire.Plunger 50 has parallel arms 51 and 52, end portion 54 for bellowscompression, and, at the opposite end, muzzle-engaging shoulders 55 and56. End portion 54 is the middle of the bent wire, and shoulders 55 and56 are loops at the ends of the wire. Plunger 50 is positioned withingrooves 45 and 46 of projection arm 23, such that arm 51 is positionedwithin groove 45 and arm 52 within groove 46. Thus, plunger 50 isslidable longitudinally with respect to arm 23. lt is of a length suchthat when in its innermost position it will fully compress bellows 30and shoulders SS and 56 will abut the outer end of shell 11 at bore 21.

When projectile 1 is 4mounted upon muzzle 5 of firing unit 2, projectionarm 23 projects into muzzle 5 and its end 25 is interlocked with latch7. Shoulders 55 and S6 of plunger 50 are dimensioned so they will not,however, fit within muzzle consequently, they rest against end 8 ofmuzzle 5. Thus, it can be seen that as projecting arm 23 is insertedinto the muzzle, this in turn causes plunger 5) to be forced axiallyinto bore of projectile 1, through bore 21 of opening 20. The end 54 ofplunger -50 then presses against rigid end portion 31 of bellows 30,serving to compress the bellows.

Upon release of latch 7 within muzzle 5, the springactuating mechanism 6serves to project the projectile 1 and fling it through the air. At thesame time, firing of the projectile serves to release the presure of theend 8 of muzzle 5 on shoulders S5 and 55 of plunger 50. Bellows willthen begin to expand, drawing air in through reeds and after a momentarydelay, cause the desired whistling noise. Preferably, the air openingthrough reeds 49 and the spring pressure of bellows 31 and 30 are suchthat the whistling noise created by the expansion of the bellows willlast the normally anticipated length of time that the projectile will bein the air. This length of time normally is in the order of two to threeseconds.

When the projectile is recovered, it then may be reinserted in themuzzle and the bellows again compressed through plunger 50 -by theaction of inserting the projection arm 23 into muzzle 5. The firingprocess with the accompanying noise may then be repeated.

It will be observed that the structure herein described provides a verysimple, reliable and ellicient method for creating a whistling noisecoming from the projectile itself, rather than the firing mechanism. Itinvolves no complicated structure 4and therefore is reliable, utilizingsimply the compression and decompression of air. It will be observedthat the concept of my invention is not limited to a bellows actuateddevice alone, but may include any kind of device actuating a noisemakerthrough action of internal air movement, and enclosed in a projectilethat is adapted to be fired. Accordingly, various modifications of thisinvention may be made by those skilled in the art utilizing my inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A noisemaking projectile to be mounted upon and fired from a firingdevice and capable of creating noises after projection therefrom, saidprojectile including an elongated projectile body, said body having alongitudinal axial bore formed therein, an air-actuated bellows-typenoisemaker disposed within said axial bore, a first position of saidair-actuated noisemaker, a second position of said air-actuatednoisemaker, said second position beng the normal position thereof, aplunger means associated with said air-actuated noisemaker for movingsaid air-actuated noisemaker from said second to said first position,said means being positioned so that it presses against said firingdevice and thereby to move said air-actuated noisemaker from said secondposition to said first position when said projectile is mounted uponsaid firing device.

2. A noisemaking projectile to be mounted upon and fired from a firingdevice and capable of creating noise while in flight, including anelongated projectile body, said body having a bore longitudinallydisposed axially thereof, an air-actuated noisemaker secured within saidbody, said noisemaker having an air compression unit mounted for axialmovement within said bore, said cornpression unit having a rst and asecond position a compression plunger slidably mounted at one end ofsaid bore for longitudinal axial movement, one end of said plungerprojecting outside said bore for engagement with said firing device andthe other end of said plunger abutting said unit to cause same to movefrom said first to said second position when said other end is inengagement with said firing device.

3. The projectile of claim 2, having means secured to said body lforengaging with said firing device prior to firing.

4. The projectile of claim 2, in which said air compression unit is abellows.

5. A toy projectile to be fired from a firing device having a muzzlewith an end portion, a spring ejector positioned within the muzzle, andan engaging latch associated with said spring ejector, said projectileincluding a body having a bore therein, a projection arm at one end ofsaid body and in axial alignment with said bore, said projection armhaving engaging shoulders at the outer end thereof adapted to engagewith said latch, an air-actuated noisemaker positioned within said body,said noisemaker including an air compressing means positioned for axialmovement within said bore, a plunger slida-bly -mounted on saidprojection arm, said plunger having one end within said bore andpositioned to act against said air compressing means, and the other endextending outside said bore said other end thereof including amuzzle-engaging portion.

6. A toy projectile capable of producing a noise during flightresembling the noise caused by an actual projectile passing through theair and capable of being fired from a firing unit, said projectileincluding an elongated body portion and a tiring unit engaging portionexternal of said body portion, said body portion including anair-actuated noisemaker therein, said noisemaker including a surfacemounted for longitudinal axial movement within said projectile bodyportion to set said noise maker, a plunger mounted on said body portionfor slidable motion along the axis of said body portion, the inner endof said plunger being positioned to press against said surface and theouter end of said plunger having an engaging portion for engagement withand actuation by said rin g unit.

7. A noisemaking projectile including an elongated hollow projectileshell, a bellows within said shell, an airactuated whistle operativelyassociated with said bellows, the longitudinal axis of said bellowsbeing parallel to the axis of said projectile; means for compressingsaid bellows including a plunger slidably mounted within said shell forlongitudinal movement along the axis of said bellows and with one endextending externally of said shell, and said plunger being sodimensioned that its inner end will hold Said -bellows in compressedcondition when said one end is substantially flush with the outersurface of said shell.

8. A noisemaking toy projectile to be fired from a firing device havinga muzzle with an end portion, a spring ejector positioned within themuzzle, and an engaging latch associated with said spring ejector, saidprojectile including an outer shell having a substantially cylindricalbore therein, a projection arm at one end thereof and in axial alignmentwith said bore, said projection arm having engaging shoulders at theouter end thereof adapted to engage with said latch, an air-actuatednoisemaker mounted within said bore, said noisernaker projectileincluding a normally-expanded bellows positioned for movement axiallywithin said bore, a plunger slidably mounted on said projection arm,said plunger having one end within said bore and positioned to pressagainst said bellows, the other end of said plunger extending outsidesaid shell and having a diameter greater than the diameter of saidmuzzle, said plunger ybeing of such length that it will compress saidbellows when said projection arm is inserted in said muzzle until saidshoulders engage with said latch and will cease said engagement whensaid projection arm is released from said muzzle.

9. In combination, a noisernaking projectile and a ring device, saidprojectile including a projectile body having a bore therein, a bellowspositioned within said bore for movement axially of said bore, anair-actuated noisemaker operatively associated with said bellows, aprojection arm mounted at one end of said projectile body and in axialalignment with said bore, said projection arrn having engaging shouldersat the outer end thereof, a plunger slidably mounted on said projectionarm for longitudinal axial movement, one end of said Iplunger projectinginside said bore for engagement with said bellows, the other end of saidplunger extending outside said projectile body and having =a ilangedend, said firing device including a muzzle to receive said projectionarm, `a spring ejector positioned within the muzzle and an engaginglatch associated with said spring ejector and positioned to engage saidshoulders, the inner diameter of said muzzle `being less than the widthof said anged end.

10. A noisemaking projectile to be mounted upon and red from aprojecting device and capable of creating noises after projectiontherefrom, said projectile including an elongated projectile body, saidbody having an longitudinal axial bore formed therein, an air-actuatedbellows-type noisemaker disposed within said longitudinal axial bore, arst position of said air-actuated noisemaker, a second position of saidair-actuated noisemaker, said second positon being the normal positionthereof,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,443 1l/l928 Lloyd 46-1182,988,848 6/1961 Lemelson 46-180 3,035,564 5/1962 Hellman 124-31 X3,044,213 7/1962 Licitis 46-189 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

Us. C1. X.R. 124-41; 273-106

1. A NOISEMAKING PROJECTILE TO BE MOUNTED UPON AND FIRED FROM A FIRINGDEVICE AND CAPABLE OF CREATING NOISES AFTER PROJECTION THEREFROM, SAIDPROJECTILE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED PROJECTILE BODY, SAID BODY HAVING ALONGITUDINAL AXIAL BORE FORMED THEREIN, AN AIR-ACTUATED BELLOWS-TYPENOISEMAKER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID AXIAL BORE, A FIRST POSITION OF SAIDAIR-ACTUATED NOISEMAKER, A SECOND POSITION OF SAID AIR-ACTUATEDNOISEMAKER, SAID SECOND POSITION BEING THE NORMAL POSITION THEREOF, APLUNGER MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID AIR-ACTUATED NOISEMAKER FOR MOVINGSAID AIR-ACTUATED NOISEMAKER FROM SAID SECOND TO SAID FIRST POSITION,SAID MEANS BEING POSITIONED SO THAT IT PRESSES AGAINST SAID FIRINGDEVICE AND THEREBY TO MOVE SAID AIR-ACTUATED NOISEMAKER FROM SAID SECONDPOSITION TO SAID FIRST POSITION WHEN SAID PROJECTILE IS MOUNTED UPONSAID FIRING DEVICE.